The Thieves of Ordia
by FallingSunset
Summary: SYOC still open! Steampunk AU. Ordia: a region full of marvelous inventions and booming with all sorts of Pokemon. Erin begins her journey in the industrious city of Ironstead. Soon she finds out that all is not right in Ordia as thieves have been showing up everywhere, stealing Legendary Pokemon and causing chaos to the world. Can Erin and defeat the league and the thieves?
1. Skyriders and Squeals

**OC form is at the bottom. Not sure how many I'll be selecting but they will vary from rivals, travelling companions and side-story characters. Please only submit by PM. To view the forms of my characters, see my home page. And last, but not least, enjoy the story! **

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**Skyriders and Squeals**

Erin King burst out of the brass doors of the Pokemon center with a proud smirk on her face. She clung tightly to a brass ball as she darted through the cobbled streets of Ironstead City, being followed by a small, orange chimp wearing a grin to match Erin's. "Thanks, Professor Oak," she called back, almost slamming into a street light as she turned around. She swept away her messy brown hair as it cascaded over her eyes and leaped onto a rusty-looking vehicle. It had a metallic, curved body, with gears visible at either side, and it has tattered wings sprouting from two golden cogs. To top it all off, it had the words 'Skyrider' engraved into the side. It looked far from safe, but she was experienced. Erin slid the ball into a pouch, slid her goggles over her eyes and gripped tightly onto the handlebars. Her orange companion leapt onto the back and held on to it as she turned to him. "Ready, Chimchar?"

"_Chimchar_!" he replied happily and the young girl set off. She heard a few angry growls from people in the streets as the machine spat out thick, black fog and one particularly grumpy Lillipup let out a surprisingly fierce roar. The Skyrider swept through the air with ease but didn't hesitate in making Erin and Chimchar jump every few minutes. The air in Ironstead City was thick and dirty but Erin had grown used to it after living there for so long. Ironstead was an industrious city on the edge of Ordia, the biggest region in the country. The Pokemon here were almost all fire, steel and ground types due to the factories and the city was extremely cramped. Most of the residents lived in poverty and Erin was no stranger to it. But that wouldn't stop her from dreaming. This was her favourite time to go out: her Uncle Jack was at work and Lola was usually sleeping, so she was free to roam the streets with the Skyrider. What made today even more special was that it was Lola's tenth birthday, so she done the honours of going out to collect her assigned Pokemon. She was going to love it!

Erin could just make out the pastel pinks and warm oranges emitted by the sunset and pushed up a bit higher through the smog. "Sorry!" she cried as she narrowly avoided hitting a group of Pidgeys but it didn't stop her from pushing the pedals to maximum power. She caught an eyeful of the beautiful landscape and smiled back to Chimchar. "If only we lived this high up," she said with a smile. The orange chimp nodded in agreement before squealing and pointing in front of the girl. Erin turned and twisted around the colossal clock tower. "Maybe I should keep my eyes ahead, huh?"

The exhausted monkey rolled his eyes and knew this promise wouldn't be kept. She plummeted back down into the streets and swerved down a long side street. "Chimchar, use Ember!" she yelled as she spotted lines of clothes hung between the buildings. The chimp Pokemon jumped onto her head and spat out luminous orange darts, scorching the clothes and letting them fall to the streets below, covering a couple of nicely dressed ladies in the process. She couldn't help but laugh, but more trouble was up ahead. She dodged and ducked her way through a group of gears sticking out from a factory and Chimchar was close to jamming his tail in one of them.

Finally, Erin has made her way to a wooden loading dock and pretty much abandoned the vehicle. She made her way through an old Inn with the words 'The Rusty Badge' carved on a wooden sign. The place was thriving with humans and Pokemon at this time and it was a bit of the maze to make it to the stairs. After climbing them, rushing through a corridor of sleeping people (and probably waking up half of them doing so) she had finally made it to a small ladder in the back of the Inn. At last, she sighed, sliding through a worn out door. "Get the light, will you?" she asked Chimchar, and with his tail, he lit a small oil lamp on the side. "Looks like Oscar and Uncle Jack aren't back yet."

Erin dropped into a bunk bed in a separate room and wrapped herself in the sheets, not bothering to remove her clothes or even her boots. The only thing she did decided to take off was her aviator cap and goggles.

"Did you get it? Did you? Did you? Did you?" a squeaky voice rang in her ears. Erin's eyes flung open and she was met with a pair or bulging brown ones sticking into her face, mirroring her own. "You know, if you went to get it this morning, you wouldn't be so tired!" the little girl said matter-of-factly.

"Yes I got it, Lollipop," she told her sister, using her favourite nickname. "And _you_ will love it," she continued, handing her the brass ball from earlier. The younger girl took it from her and pressed the decorative gear-shaped button. A red beam slid from the ball and reached the ground and the silhouette of a large squirrel began to form.

Lola gasped as she wrapped her arms around the Pokemon, her auburn hair almost covering it completely. "I love it!"

"It's a girl," Erin said with a smile. She slid a small pocket book from a pouch and flicked through the pages, stopping at one with an active-looking, white and blue squirrel. "So, this is a Pachirisu," she began grinning as Lola continued to smother the cute Pokemon and continued to read out what it said in the manual "_Pachirisu, the EleSquirrel Pokémon. It gathers static electricity and hides fur balls along with its favorite fruit under the eaves of houses_."

"I'm gonna call you, Risu!" the girl said happily and the Pokemon shot happy sparks of electricity from it's cheeks. Erin went down to pet the cute looking creature and was met with a literally shock surprise. Risu let much bigger sparks from her cheeks and shocked the girl, making her hair stick up wildly. She stuck her tongue out at the Pokemon and crossed her arms. "Looks like she likes you," Lola joked. She began to climb back into her bed with a yawn with Risu close behind.

"I still have one more thing," Erin said and picked up the aviator cap with the goggles and placed it on her sisters head. "Those were mums when she was your age, you know?"

Lola wrapped her arms around her sister with a grin. "Thanks, Erin."

* * *

Erin was woken by the deep, husky voice of Uncle Jack. "Who's been using my bloody Skyrider again!"

"He's not very happy," a boy standing at the door said.

"Thanks for stating the obvious," Erin said sarcastically as she got out of her bed. She glanced at the boy with her sharp eyes. He had messy red hair and amber eyes, was a few inches taller than her, not the most muscular of guys (especially for one who had been working in a factory for most of his life) and wore an angelic smile which contrasted with his appearance. His white shirt and waist coat was covered in soot and it was almost impossible to tell if his boots and trousers were dirty. He lifted his green neck scarf up and wiped his face with it as he sat on the edge of his bed. "Long day?" she asked.

He smiled and gave her a 'what do you think?' look. A small dog-like Pokemon came into the room and sat at the foot of his bed. "Nice work today, Growlithe." he said as he stroked the vibrant orange fur. The Pokemon let out an affectionate groan and drifted off to sleep like Chimchar. Oscar was Erin's 'cousin' who she had lived with since she was a child. He was a year older than her and, although she called him her cousin, she wasn't actually related to him or his father. Uncle Jack came in and kissed Lola on the forehead and sat on the edge of Oscar's bed. "Your birthday tomorrow as well, don't you forget that, alright?"

Jack would of had a very youthful face if it wasn't for the big, red moustache under his nose and he was almost always covered in soot from the factory. Like Oscar, he worked in the big one that made Pokeballs. "How was work?" she asked him.

"Not too good," he said, shaking his head "I shouldn't be saying this, but apparently the bosses have been stealing Legendary Pokemon and making them do all the work! Or at least, they've been making people do it for them. I seen them pull in a Heatran today!" he said, finishing it with a scoff.

"But how-"

Uncle Jack interrupted her, continuing with his speech "It means we've been getting payed less. They're working those Pokemon to death. And rumor has it, it's happening everywhere. They're after the big ones now."

"But those Pokemon keep the world in order," Erin objected.

"Exactly." Oscar had joined in, looking just as riled up as Jack. "They're going to send every person here out of work eventually and kill those Pokemon in the process."

Uncle Jack stood up "Right, I shouldn't of started all of this. Get some sleep you two," he said with a weak grin and blew out the candle by the door.

After much chat, Erin asked Oscar to show her his badge. He had began his journey a while ago but had to stop due to work. It was the Mine Badge from Byron, Ironstead's gym leader. She knew she wanted to defeat him next and asked Oscar to tell her the story of how it happened. Erin had been in a few street battles in her life, but nothing serious. It was refreshing to hear such an intense battle between Byron's Pokemon and Oscar's Growlithe and Flygon.

Oscar was soon enough asleep and left Erin to wonder about the Pokemon in trouble._ 'Who would steal Legendary Pokemon?'_ she thought as she gaped out the window. It was something Erin couldn't help being curious about.

* * *

"Happy birthday!" Lola shouted, peeking her head over the bunk bed to look at Erin once again. Risu, Chimchar and Growlithe all joined in as the jumped on her sheets and bounced up and down. The noise woke up both Oscar and Uncle Jack and the latter exploded into the room with a tattered box that, no doubt, had been hand wrapped by Sandshrew, Jack's Pokemon. It has a large '15' drawn onto it.

The gift had been placed on her bed and the Pokemon of the children, along with Sandshrew, sat around her as she opened it up. It was pretty much what had happened yesterday with Lola's birthday when she received her trainer gear from Uncle Jack. The box contained beautifully decorated goggles with intricate details and carvings throughout. "Your head was looking a bit bare," Jack piped up as Erin pulled him in for a hug. "Those were your Dad's." Erin placed them on my head and they were a perfect, snug fit.

"I got you this, open it!" Oscar insisted, handing her a similar box. It contained a cool looking pair of leather, fingerless gloves. "Thought you'd like them." he said, shrugging. Erin went over to his bed and was about to pull him in for a hug when she decided a handshake would be less awkward... in fact, it only made things more so.

"So, when you off?" Jack asked, placing his hands on his hips.

The three children all raised there eyebrows in sync. "Where are we going?" Lola asked excitedly.

"You're not going anywhere, you," he said with a laugh. "Those two are away on their journey.

"What?" Erin asked, hardly believing what she was hearing, so much so that she rubbed her ears and made him repeat it another three times.

Oscar did't take it in until the fourth time. "The two of us?" he asked "Me as well? What will you do for money?"

"Of course! You haven't properly started your journey. And with the two of you gone, I'll only have to worry about Lola" it was custom to start your journey when you were younger, but Oscar had been working so hard that he never really had the chance to and Jack never really though Erin was ready, until now. It was a fact that stopped much of the lower class from beginning their adventure. As Lola huffed in her bed about being too young, Erin shooed the boys out the room and got changed. She placed on her white blouse, dark blue corset (with the help of Lola), her tight brown trousers and knee-high boots. She applied various belts and straps to her, her brand new gloves, shoved her coat into a satchel that went across her chest and applied the finishing touch: her father's goggles. She double-checked her brunette hair was in a loose ponytail and took a deep breath.

Oscar had been wearing his usual work clothes and had Growlithe in his Pokeball. He grinned as Erin came out and the two met Jack outside and went onto the Skyrider. He wrapped his hands around her waist and she shot him a deadly look. He laughed, knowing it would irritate her.

"What do the two of you think you're doing?" Uncle Jack asked.

"We're taking the Skyrider, right?" she objected, feeling Chimchar jump off from her head.

Uncle Jack shook his head and pointed to a smug looking Sandshrew who swung a pair of keys in it's hands.

* * *

**There you go, hope you enjoyed it! Here are a few words just to get you started on the universe I'm creating.**

**Ordia: **The region it is set in with a variety of cities, towns and villages. Ordia is inspired by steampunk literature and settings and features Pokemon from all generations. It will have a variety of Gym Leaders from the games and animes (randomly selected by me) which will be adapted to the environment.

**Assigned Pokemon:** When a person reaches ten, they receive a randomly assigned Pokemon. There are plenty of wild Pokemon, but these are especially caught and distributed for this purpose. An assigned Pokemon is a persons best friend and usually has a personality to match it's owner. They will often work like humans (like what Oscar and Jack's Pokemon do) and will almost always stay by their side.

**Skyrider: **A common form of vehicle, pretty much a motorcycle for the sky, and with wings of course. There is a vast variety of Skyriders ranging from the old and shabby to the deluxe and modern.

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**OC FORM - Only submit by PM**

**Name:**

**Age: **

**Gender:**

**Appearance: (Hair, eyes, skin, body type, etc)**

**Travel Outfit: (Please take into account that it is a steampunk setting)**

**Formal Outfit:**

**History:**

**Personality:**

**Romantic Preferences:**

**Likes:**

**Dislikes:**

**Pokemon Team: (Only give maximum of three for the moment, your assigned Pokemon and two others. If chosen, I'll PM you about your future Pokemon. You may wish to include personality, nicknames, gender and moves. Pokemon you list do not have to be ones they have on hand at the moment. No legendary Pokemon.)**

**Opinion of Erin:**

**Extra Info:**


	2. Presenting Chaos

**Still accepting OC's, mainly for Lola (10-12 years old) and antagonists, though still accepting companions for Erin as well. Hope you enjoy this chapter and sorry for the time it took!  
**

* * *

**Presenting Chaos**

"We're not going to make it anywhere if you keep dragging your feet like that!" Erin complained, twisting on her ankle and leaning into Oscar's face. The two were uncomfortably close and Erin began to blush as she realized the boy was actually keeping up with her.

"If we keep continuing at your pace, my feet will fall off," he replied with a cheeky grin, keeping his face firmly in Erin's. She squeezed his cheeks with one hand and shoved him backwards with a grunt. Before he could even get back on his feet, she was off like rocket once more. They had only been gone a couple of hours when Oscar noted that he left his Pokeball containing Flygon at work and they had to take a detour to fetch it, so Erin was in no mood to mess around. "We've got plenty of time before your first battle. You still need to catch some Pokemon first, you know?"

It sounded as if she had muttered a curse under her breath before she piped up with "Why do you think I'm going so fast?"

"You always go fast," he said, only loud enough for his Growlithe to hear, who he had recently released from his Pokeball. He knew if Erin had heard this, he wouldn't make it outside of Ironstead City.

The smog in the city seemed thicker than usual and Growlithe continued to wriggle his nose everytime they passed one of the countless factories. Erin had already got into trouble for walking into a bunch of Skyriders, scratching three of them, and she even got into a feud with a stubborn Litwick who had been lighting the street lamps when she and Chimchar ran past so quickly that they all blew out. Luckily, she only came out with a few minor burns on her arms, but she had been looking over her shoulder ever since, preparing for round two.

"Chimchar!" she yelped as the chimp Pokemon sprinted off with glee. Erin followed the orange trail left by his tail and Oscar and Growlithe were close behind. Chimchar had stopped on the roof of a market stall, clinging onto an apple. He was about to take a bite when the angry salesman whacked it from his paw harshly. "Watch it, mister," Erin growled, catching her breath from the long sprint "Sorry, Chimchar, only the essentials," she told him, patting her bag containing a measly supply of food.

"Excuse me," came a calm voice from the side of Erin's ear "I'll take five of those apples." Erin turned to her after she finished scolding Chimchar. The girl had pretty sapphire eyes and rich, dark brown hair pouring down her back. Her posture was both elegant and intimidating and she wore a polite smile. A green, snake-like Pokemon stood on her shoulder proudly and helped itself to one of the apples. "Here," she said, tossing one to Chimchar and stroked his vibrant fur.

Erin simply stared. The girl petted Growlithe as she walked past Oscar. "Thanks," he told her to which she replied with a nod and, what Erin believed to be, a flirtatious grin. The pair continued to walk down the street with the only sound around them being Chimchar's constant crunching of the apple. "Don't be jealous," Oscar told her, sensing the tension in the air.

"Why would I be jealous? I'm not interested in a mutt like you," she replied, to which both Oscar and Growlithe objected.

"Hey! I was talking about the girl!"

* * *

Lola let out an over-dramatic, over-the-top, overly-bored sigh. She had felt abandoned and was stuck with Uncle Jack, his dull stories, and Sandshrew's awful attempts at making tea.

"Great story," she interrupted loudly, making Jack drop his biscuit into the cup. He could tell she was more irritated than Oscar and Growlithe on bath day and decided to say nothing more, feeling a tad guilty that she had been left behind. Risu quickly followed her into the bedroom and mimicked Lola as she propped her chin up on the grubby windowsill.

"Why can't I go on a cool journey like those two?" she asked herself. Rain tapped against the window until it became a full on thump with each drop. "I'm just as mature as Erin, right?" she asked Risu. The Pokemon squeaked and shot a few jolts of electricity from her cheeks. "I know! Let's test out some contest moves, okay?"

...

"That was a bad idea," Lola admitted. The bedroom had been turned upside down: white feathers fluttered around the room like a snowy blizzard from the bed sheets; the pillows had been scorched to nothing; even the oil lamp had bolts of blue zig-zagging inside of it.

She had had enough. It had been around night time anyway and the girl slid on her boots, fixed the aviator goggles over her eyes and took one of Oscar's old, brown work coats. "Let's roll!"

The mischievous twosome slid out of the bedroom door, taking caution with every step as they guided their way through the contorted floorboards. The lamps had been put out and traces of spilled tea were obstacles for the pair to get past, making the mission much trickier. She twisted and wriggled her way through the lock on the door and slid down the sides of the ladder. Mission one: complete, she noted in her head.

Lola wasn't bothered about taking her time in the hallway; the noise from the bar had polluted it anyway. No, no, no... the barman was the real obstacle. She knew, due to previous escapes, that Uncle Jack had asked him to keep an eye on Lola, even though Jack was always cursing about him. But the balding, beefy bloke was a beast in itself, let alone it's companion, Machamp. The girl, along with Risu, opened the door, preparing for the worst. With a quick sprint, she was halfway through the room... looked good so far. Then, the floor began to ripple, making it seem as if the building had been tossed and turned by Mewtwo. Machamp had jumped to the door with the barman along side wearing a hideous grin. "Where do you think you're going, Lollipop?" she frowned and got into her most intimidating battle stance, which happened to be much closer to a cute one. "Oh, isn't that sweet, you think you can get past me?"

Lola pretended to crack her knuckles and roared as loud as her little lungs would let her, "RISU, JUMP AND USE SWIFT!"

The little squirrel leaped into the air, swung it's tail to Machamp and the man, and shot dozens of little stars at them. As they hit, they burst into gold glitter and momentarily distracted them before she cried out another attack, "NOW USE HYPER FANG!" Risu's front tooth glowed like the night sky as it slammed down on the two big bullies. They were surprisingly easy to beat, and after a few more stars, the two raced out the door. The rain blocked their view of the Skyrider, and each drop made it harder to see as they pattered against the goggles.

"Over there," she said excitedly, hoping to get out as quickly as possible, "Come-"

She was stopped as both herself and Risu were snatched up by a furious Machamp. The wicked cackle of the barman was more irritating than the tugging at her jumper, until she felt herself being lightly blasted by sand. Her goggles protected her, but as she turned around, she noticed the Machamp was being blinded by the attack. She was released and swiftly made her way to the Skyrider, with Risu taking a hold of her belt. With a final glance, she looked to an upper, crooked window of the building.

"Thanks Uncle Jack! Thanks Sandshrew!"

Her heroes smiled, still laughing, though there was a sense of pride in Uncle Jack's face, "I think she's ready."

* * *

"Where the hell is it!" Oscar groaned as he searched a drawer by his work station. The building was much different to what Erin remembered. Factories were never happy places, but there seemed to be a bit more enthusiasm from the workers and Pokemon. She noticed how the Geodudes and Camerupts seemed rather dull as they worked alongside their humans.

Another girl came to Oscar. Since arriving, he had girls and guys talking away with him whilst Erin stood awkwardly at the sidelines. He had always been popular. This one had pretty eyes, a cool concoction of leaf green and caramel, and light brown hair in a cute pixie cut. She was slim and tall, though she had a tough demeanor. With a single finger, she tapped Oscar on the shoulder and presented a Pokeball, "Looking for something?" She tossed it in the air and caught it before he could. He smiled as she held it out to him. "It's not the best idea to leave this around, it's a rough place."

"That's why you work here," he said teasingly "Oh, this is Erin, my friend I told you about!" He stuck out his hand towards Erin who had been trying to stay out of as much conversations as she could. "Erin, this is Lily," he announced, to which Lily and Erin both smiled, Lily's seeming much more genuine and friendly than the uncomfortable one Erin put on. As the two shook hands, Erin could feel the girl was confident and bloody strong! It seemed you had to be to work in a place like this. "Erin and I are finally starting our Pokemon journey," he said excitedly, "Haven't you got both the mine and the forest badge?"

"Sure have," she said, holding them up happily, "And it's about time you started, you must be around sixteen now, right?" He nodded. "You'll be a bit rusty, how about we go for round two, huh?"

The girl grinned and tossed a new Pokeball in her hand. "Nah, you'll beat me again. But..." Erin didn't like where this was going, "How about you battle Erin, she's always up for a challenge!"

"So you're new to battling, right?" Lily asked, to which Erin gave a 'so what?' shrug. "Let's see what you got."

"Bring it on," Erin challenged, realizing she wasn't getting out of this one. The experience couldn't do much harm either.

Oscar and Lily led her to the back alley way. It was a dusty plain crammed between two factories, both with mighty gears sticking from them. Chimchar had been in Erin's Pokeball since entering the factory, and was raring to get out. The girls eyed each other up; Erin was overly-confident and stood in a similar, more threatening stance than Lola. Lily, however, stood modestly, though still managed to look a tad frightening as she strecthed her bare legs and stomped her brown boots.

"Metang, come on out!" she yelled, tossing the brass ball in the air. A metal beast appeared, though had a surprisingly soft aura about it.

"Don't go easy on me," Erin called out, beginning to like the girl, "Go, Chimchar!"

The two Pokemon eyed one another up. Chimchar looked rather cool as he prepared for battle, though he was nothing compared to Lily's Pokemon. Oscar slid out his Pokemon manual as the fight was about to begin, reminding himself of Metang. "_Metang, the Iron Claw Pokémon. Metang is the evolved form of Beldum. Its highly developed intellect and strong magnetic force allow it to create powerful psychic energy._"

"I wouldn't dream of it," Lily stated as she began to take the first move. "Metang, Metal Claw, now!" The floating, metallic Pokemon charged towards the tiny chimp as its fist glowed a blinding white.

"Chimchar, dodge it!" Erin demanded, but he was too slow and was met with a powerful force as he struck the ground behind Erin. She gritted her teeth as Lily went for another attack.

Lily tossed her powerful arm out, yelling "Use Take Down!" The Pokemon leaped into the air and moved down with a powerful force.

Erin was quick to respond. "Quick, use Dig!" and Chimchar disappeared into the dull soil. He quickly dived in and out of the ground, creating small holes everywhere. "Use Flamethrower!" she yelled finally, as Chimchar retreated in the ground. One by one, jets of orange shot to the sky as the individual holes acted like fiery cannons. Metang attempted to dodge, but it was impossible as they attacked it's body.

As the fire died down, Lily called again. "Clever girl. Now, Metang, use Confusion in one of those holes!" Metang's usual scarlet eyes turned a bright blue and shot into the nearest hole.

"Quickly, come out," Erin said, though it was obviously to late as the monkey came out with a ditzy expression and fell back into the ground. Lily called another attack, this time Take Down. Metang slammed it's body to an area without holes and the force shook all above and below. Chimchar came out again, clearly injured, though was able to rid itself of confusion. "Use Flamthrower, one more time!"

The chimp shot a fiery beam towards the Pokemon just as Lily roared "Metal Claw!" Metang was able to use its fist to push it's way through the flames, though the impact injured both Pokemon. They retreated to their humans, gasping to fill their tired lungs with the slightest bit of smoggy air.

"First battle?" Lily asked. She was very impressed by Erin, who shrugged modestly in return. "You're pretty good. Try this one out for size. Metang, Zen Headbutt!"

"Chimchar, Flame Wheel!" Chimchar engulfed itself in a ball of fire and charged towards Metang who had a glowing forehead. The two bombarded into each other with sheer force. The painful radiance of white and orange forced the trainers to turn away, until it faded away into the thick, evening air. Metang stood there, victorious.

Lily walked over to Metang and gently rubbed her hand on its body. "Great job, girl," she curled her lips happily and returned the knackered Pokemon to her Pokeball.

Erin raced over to Chimchar who regained consciousness moments later. Lily respectfully knelt by her side, tossing out a firm hand. Erin shook it, this time much happier to do so. "You put up a bloody brilliant fight, you know. Byron wont know what hit him."

Oscar raced over to them, mouth open, both impressed and scared. "You guys, put on one hell of a show."

"That's because I had one hell of an opponent," Erin said, giving out a rare compliment and looked to Chimchar whilst she was proudly patting him on the head "And the best friend, and fighter, I could ever have."

* * *

"WOOOO HOOOO!" Lola cried as she dove in and out of the night sky. The rain had gone and, despite the thick clouds, it was looking as if it was going to be a fantastic night. She beamed as she crossed the various buildings, admiring the blossoming orange glows from below. She had been up high for a while, and despite her chattering teeth, Lola couldn't be happier. If only Erin could see her now.

Risu was just as excited but was a bit frightened when Lola was experimenting with risky stunts. At one point, she dove so low that Risu burst into a shower of electric blue jolts of lightning; seems like a new move, Lola discovered whilst they took a break, named Discharge. She tried it countless times since returning to the air though she managed to set an angry bunch of Spearow on them, and they were troublesome to lose.

"It's beautiful!" she shouted over the spitting of the engine, "Erin's never taken me this high up before!" She continued to smile to herself, until she was interrupted by a pack of howling thieves, all riding the newest brand of Skyriders, jet black.

"Oi, over there, I bet she knows where the boy went," one of them yelled in a heavy cockney accent. There was around six or seven of them beginning to circle her.

The obvious leader was a woman with black hair in a high ponytail. She smugly removed her goggles and stood on her seat as her Skyrider continued to hover with a slight buzz. She wore a crimson corset over a black, sleeveless blouse and black shorts with stocking, suspenders and leather boots, all draped in a black coat that reached her ankles. "Hello there, little girl. You wouldn't happen to have seen a naughty boy, would you? He's been causing us an awful lot of trouble!"

The woman had spoken in an extremely patronizing voice, pushing Lola and Risu to stick their tongues out rudely to them.

"You little brat," spat the woman, growling and smearing her lipstick. She launched a Pokeball towards her and out burst a flying monster. Risu handed Lola her guide book and pointed out the type of Pokemon it was. "_Skarmory, the Armor Bird Pokémon. Because Skarmory nests in briers and is constantly scratched by thorns, its wings become razor sharp._"

"Skarmory, teach these two a lesson, you might even be able to nab yourself a little snack," she taunted menacingly, eyeing up Risu. "Use Steel Wing!"

The Pokemon shot towards Lola's Skyrider and she cowered as it came closer, hearing only a faint electrical crackle. It was too distant to be Risu's, and then, a crash echoed in the sky and the area erupted into chaos. A confident laughter of a boy was what snapped her out of her fear and she noticed a boy had shot across the sky with a small, yellow mouse on his back, taking the woman and a few of the thieves along with him.

However, she wasn't out of the woods yet. The two men remaining laughed as Lola realized they were still surrounding her. One released a common Zubat, where as the other had a menacing Gliscor. In the height of the comotion, she shrieked again and just let the word "Discharge" escape her lips. Risu squealed as she let out an explosion of blue. It swirled, twirled and contorted in the night air, sending the two men, and their Pokemon, into the darkness.

"Hold on tight!" she demanded of Risu who clenched her back. Clouds began to form, and the stirring of thunder was evident after a few flashes illuminating the sky. She had lost the bad guys, and her hero, but was left panicking as she searched the darkness. She was too far away from the city now and she would land in an unfamiliar forest if she stopped. Lola pushed the pedals as much as they could go, hearing the engine strain over the increasing thunder and more frequent flashes.

And then, something stunning happened. After reaching a plain, no signs of clouds or danger in sight. A magnificent bird, bursting with colour, personality and life. So dangerous, so stunning, so perfect.

The only thing that could ruin such a perfect moment was the Airship coming from behind it. this one was belonged to the military: a Black Swan. A monstrosity of a vehicle, extending a claw to the Pokemon that could only be a legend. And pulling it, with great struggle, into the ship.

So cruel. Lola was furious and could feel Risu's anger as she dug her short claws into Lola's back. But the clouds engulfed her once more and was left with the sight lingering in her mind. The only thing that could make things worse, was the fuel running low... which was happening.

Lola felt herself plummet to the earth, trying her best to make the landing a good one. What a night.

* * *

"Mind if I hide here, ladies?" an older boy asked with a charismatic grin. He had made his way into one of the few upper-class areas in town and slid his way under the bustle of a lady. The women had been sitting in a pleasant cafe, sipping some tea and crunching at crumpets; a handsome boy under their skirts was the last thing they would of expected. He could hear the angered chatter of the thieves behind him, though he noticed an irritated Glameow also underneath, probably belonging to the lady. He, and his Pikachu, raised a finger to his lips and pleaded with the cruel cat to let him off...

"YOU LITTLE-" he howled as the Glameow gave him a paw full of Fury Swipes. The uproar had attracted the dark-haired woman and her band of thieves, and they were quick on his tail. He raced up the stairs of the cafe and made his way to the roof, jumping and leaping from them carefully, hearing the pounding of heavy boots following him. "Pikachu, mind giving me a hand?" he asked.

The small mouse Pokemon sat on his head, turned to the men and shot the second Electro Ball of the day, consuming them in a ball of pain. He let out a triumphant laugh as he continued through the rooftops, eventually making his way back to the safety of alleys and streets.

"Thanks for a great battle," Lily said with the final grin of the night. Outside the factory, Oscar and Erin had been preparing to move on and went with Lily as she prepared to return home on her rusty Skyrider. "Let's try it again next time, hopefully with more Pokemon."

"Sounds like a a plan, but next time I'm gonna win!" Erin said, propping her eyebrows up. Lily giggled at the girl's confidence, something she couldn't help respecting.

"Sure you don't want to come along with us?" Oscar asked. "You still need to have your journey, you know."

Lily was tempted, but declined "I should get home to my brother, he'll be wondering why-"

The group was interrupted by the disorder down the cobbled streets. A boy, seemingly a couple of years older than themselves, was galloping with glee towards them, with a small Pokemon on his back firing lightning bolts down the pathway behind him. His scruffy brown hair and matching, dark eyes met with Lily's. He took her hand and kissed it gently, giving her a sweet smile.

"And you are?" he asked.

"Oh God!" Erin said, rolling her eyes whilst Oscar looked up the Pokemon on his back. "_Pikachu, the Mouse Pokémon. It can generate electric attacks from the electric pouches located in both of its cheeks._"

"I'm Lily," she replied, finding herself blushing for some unknown reason. He began chatting away to her, turning now and then, as if he was looking out for trouble.

"Beautiful name, and beautiful Skyrider. May I?" he asked as he sat on it. Lily was about to object but he shot off with it and following him were half a dozen others on high-tech Skyriders.

Lily looked dumbfounded and glared at both Erin and Oscar. "What the bloody hell just happened?"

* * *

"Pretty good, little girl!" Byron burst into a deep guffaw, ramming his shovel in the ground as the battle got more intense. "But you think your little grass Pokemon can beat Steelix... I'm intrigued. Let's get this over with"

She smirked, "Gladly."

"Steelix, use Screech!" he grunted as the girl remained calm. She watched as the rock monster let out a blue frequency that messed with the air.

"Servine, Leaf Tornado, please," she said confidently, taking the time to thank her partner as she summoned a hurricane of vibrant green. It pulled in the waves Steelix emitted and grew in size, blending the cool blue attack with the lime green. "Now."

Servine released the hurricane towards Steelix, seemingly a powerful attack. "Use Iron Tail!" Byron ordered, and the rock monster swung its tail, flourishing a bright white and destroying the storm on impact, disappointing the girl. "Now, Bind!"

"Dodge and Leaf Blade," the girl said, enjoying the challenge with every passing second. Her sapphire eyes narrowed as she met with Byron's empty black ones. Her Pokemon elegantly avoided the attack and it's leaf-like tail became engrossed with a green energy. It swung into her opponent's face and knocked Steelix backwards. "Slam."

Once again, it charged its body up and forced itself towards the monster, hoping to deliver a final blow. But the girl was stopped with a last minute "Bind!"

Steelix coiled its snake-like body around Servine, the crushing force horrible to Servine and her trainer. "Servine, try and use Leaf Tornado," her trainer demanded with a hint of panic. The Pokemon could hear the pain in her master's voice, and with all of her energy, let out a leaf-coloured storm from her tail, forcing Steelix off of her. "Finish him off, use Leaf Blade, one more time!"

Servine forced it's tail, using all the power in it's tiny body, to slam into Steelix, leaving Byron with no chance of blocking. She bowed respectively as Servine returned to her Pokeball for a well-deserved nap. "Nice going, Servine."

The girl moved up to Byron, pushing her chocolate brown locks out of her face. "Well done, Charlotte," he said with a smile, clearly still enthusiastic from the battle, "You earned that." He placed a brown and silver mine badge in her hands and she held it triumphantly.

"One down, seven to go!"

* * *

Lola tossed and turned and moaned and groaned. She felt like she had been rammed through a meat grinder and dragged through a rusty gutter. She grabbed for the first thing she could when waking up: silk bed sheets. Raising her head, she realized she wasn't at home or in a crash site. "Am I dead?" she asked nobody.

A cheery voice piped up from the side lines, "Of course not!" The girl had bubblegum pink hair and the brightest turquoise eyes Lola had ever seen. She had a hand on her hip and was surrounded by two Pokemon and carrying a third.

"Cute!" Lola squealed as if she hadn't just been in a crash. She jumped from the bed, only to be pushed back down by the girl who knew she was in no condition to get up. "Who are they?" she asked the girl.

"My Pokemon! My assigned Pokemon Eevee, the blue one is Azurill, and this little one," she said, pointing to the Pokemon in her arms, "is Togepi!"

Lola looked as if she had been hit in the face by a ball full of cuteness."Where's Risu?" she wondered. The Pokemon in question was curled up at the end of her bed, still fast asleep. Lola petted her and took another minute to examine the room. It was twice the size of Uncle Jack's whole house alone! It was a mash of cool, cute and comfy. This was somewhere Lola couldn't help feeling out of place.

"No need to worry, my parents are away this whole weekend to the city. So, what's you name?"

"Lola, what's yours? And what happened to my Skyrider?"

The girl's smile faded. "I'm Beatrice Carson, but everyone calls me Tris! And your Skyrider, well..."

"Uncle Jack's going to kill me!" shrieked Lola as she ran to the nearest window that Tris was pointing at. The girls were around the same age and height. Tris wrapped her arm around Lola, pointed to the crash outside and showed her the view of her town. It was a modest place with sandy-coloured bricks everywhere, a water wheel turning at a near by baker, vibrant cottons hanging from windows and houses, and the best part: a small creek on the edge of a mighty forest.

"Welcome to Bellshire!"

* * *

**So sorry for me updating after ages! I'll try to be more frequent. Anyway, to make up for it, I wrote a much longer chapter than I intended. Hope you liked it!**

**Skyship:** The general name for any large, flying contraption. It has a variety of different types for different uses, such as commercial, private and military.

**Black Swan:** A military Skyship which is shaped like a large bird, pure black and it's wings are mechanical and move in a wave motion. They are known as 'Black Swans' not for the ship colour, but for the black fog it gives off which moves elegantly and can be very toxic.

**So far I have chosen: Charlotte Torrent (Storm229), Lily Henderson (Alice the B-Rabbit), Shane Harper (CaptainPrice), Beatrice Carson (LOKandYJfan), and still to see Damien Murrow (Hakerius) who will all have starring roles as companions. **

**I may still choose you if you have been accepted, but really, I'm looking for some antagonists and younger characters (10-12) for Lola's group, though send me a companion for Erin if you want. Still accepting OC's so send them in by PM only please. **


	3. A Concoction of Candy

**Still accepting OCs - see the bottom of the page for more details and check chapter one for the form!**

**Another chapter! I wanted to get this one out quick as I felt bad for my long update time. This one follows Lola and Beatrice and introduces us to a new OC! Next chapter will follow Erin and her group, but for now: enjoy!**

* * *

**A Concoction of Candy**

"Your sister sounds amazing," Tris stated with awe as her new friend finished describing, with vast enhancement, her sister Erin.

Tris had been showing Lola around the serene, mellow setting of Bellshire. The town was probably the same size as Ironstead but the buildings were spread out by vast fields of tall grass and wild flowers and Bellshire didn't even hold a quarter of Ironsteads population. People here seemed friendlier in general, as did the Pokemon, and Lola had been seeing types she had never even heard of. It seemed like a lot of the species were grass and normal, but she managed to spot a few water types by the creek, something you would never find in the big city. The best thing, in Lola's opinion, was that you could see the sky. It even had-

"A Contest Hall? When? Where?" Lola demanded as she stopped in the middle of the market area, blocking the path for the people surrounding her. Lola's dream was to become a Top Coordinator and everyone knew you had to get five ribbons before getting the chance.

Beatrice smiled, "You're into contests? There is one in a couple of days. I can already see the place getting busier. My father entered me into this one, now that I'm ten," her bubblegum hair bounced as she turned to her Eevee who had been following her. "But what I really want to do is battle... Father thinks I can't handle it though."

Lola took her hand and flashed her beaming smile. "If you help me with this contest, I'll help you prepare for a battle, deal? There's a gym round here anyway, right?" Tris nodded, "Then it's settled."

"Well you'll need to catch some more Pokemon first, but all the good ones are all the way in there," Tris said, pointing to the bigger forest, what seemed to be more than a few miles away now she was on the ground. "But Father won't let me go out there, he says it's too dangerous and too far and he'll be back later tonight."

"Then let's use your Skyrider! We'll be there and back before he knows you're gone."

"The maids would know if I took it... What's the point of having one if I can't do anything with it?" Beatrice frowned and plumped herself down on the nearest bench. "What are you looking at?" she huffed at a Furret also occupying the seat.

Lola joined her, rubbing her chin. "If only mine was working," she sighed glumly, taking a deep inhale of the clean country air.

"That's it," barked Tris as she leaped onto her feet, once again full of energy. Her white blouse flourished in the wind and her beige corset which extended into a skirt spun gracefully "We get it fixed!"

"We're going to fix a Skyrider?" Lola asked with a slight scoff, finding it unlikely that two pre-teens were going to fix the mechanical contraption.

Beatrice shook her head with a delightfully mischievous grin, "We're not... But I know someone who will."

* * *

"Knock, Knock," Tris said as she tapped her fist on a wooden door.

It lay in between two others, though this door stood out by far. It led to a house with smoke piping from the chimney constantly and something strange bubbling from one of the windows. The letterbox was crammed with letters all addressed to 'Mr. Damien Murrow' and there was a chain swinging from an unusual contraption by the door.

"Is anyone home?"

Lola, who had been dragging the remains of Jack's precious Skyrider on a wooden cart, pointed to the chain as it swung rhythmically in the cool breeze. "Try pulling that," she told Tris.

The girl in question nodded and reached for it with caution. She knew the owner very well and he was prone to inventing cool, but sometimes dangerous, items. With a quick tug she jumped off the step and waited for something to happen. Wind chimes and spinning wheels that decorated the building began to whistle and sing as they moved in sync. The door was shoved open seconds later by a curious Pokemon.

"Hello, Vindir," Tris said as she rubbed the vibrant green and yellow fur of the Electrike. Lola was quick to flick through her Pokemon guide and stopped at an image of a dog-like, electric Pokemon. "_Electrike, the Lightning Pokémon. Using the electric charge stored in its fur, it can run faster than the eye can follow._"

Lola was impressed and began to follow Tris and Eevee as they trekked through the clutter of the home, heaving in the Skyrider that Risu was balancing on. She jumped as the Electrike shoved the door shut with its tail. She knelt down to pet it, but as soon as she began to stroke its back, noticing a strange appliance on its leg, it gave her finger a quick nip.

"Hey!" she said angrily as the Pokemon marched on through the mess and she quickly discovered she was alone with only Risu by her side.

At the end of the narrow hallway sat a room with the door partially open. A thick orange light flushed into the crooked corridor and she shoved it open with the tip of her finger. Never in her life had she seem such an organised mess. At one side of the room a bookshelf stood with tatty binders and dirty shelves. A Pokemon sat on top with a wicked look in its red eyes as it stroked the matching feather sprouting from one ear. The other side contained a library of half-finished drawings, all with dark blue ink blots and marvelous gizmos and gadgets littering the paper. Across from her was a desk that contained a single stool with a teenage boy, hard at work, perched upon it. Tris stood by him, irritating him as he tried to get on with his creations, fiddling away with gears, bolts and all sorts of alien tools. The snappy Electrike rested on the desk by him and his trainer patted it every so often, to the delight of the Pokemon.

"Who's that?" came an unfamiliar voice as Lola searched the room with wonder.

She drew her eyes to the teenager who was now standing and examining her. He was a tall boy, around six foot, with brown hair in a neat ponytail and smoky grey eyes. He sorted his crimson vest as he walked over to the Pokemon sitting up on the bookshelf. He raised a small device and placed it over one eye: it was the most curious monocle Lola had ever seen. Quite unlike the usual gentleman's, this one had a couple of lenses hanging from it and made him look quite intimidating, especially for a young girl.

"This is Lola," Tris beamed as she wrapped an arm around the girl's neck. "She crashed her Skyrider last night, and I need _you_ to fix it."

"Is that so?" he said, clearly intrigued, though his attention was still on the unusual Pokemon as he wrestled something from its hand. "Doesn't your father have about a dozen or so spare?"

Tris rolled her eyes as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Father will know if I take one, we need it to go catch some cool Pokemon, like yours!"

"Smashing idea," he said with a grin, sitting back down and taking a closer look at Lola. Tris scratched her bubblegum pink, just short of shoulder-length hair. "But I've really got quite a lot of work to do, so unless you could do me a favor, I must decline the offer."

Before he could even finish twisitng around on the stool, Tris had grabbed his arm and pulled him back to the direction of Lola. "What is it? We'll do anything, right Lola?" she asked, and all eyes in the room, even of the Electrike and the spooky shelf Pokemon, shifted to her.

"Sure-"

"SEE!" Tris screamed the instantly she heard Lola agree.

The boy's grin grew, "I need you to fetch me something from your father's factory, for this," he held up a small glove, one that would fit the average Pokemon. "It's something I'm making, it should be able to channel the attacks of a Pokemon better, but I'm missing some of this."

The boy walked over to the stack of drawings and rubbed his chin and mumbled nonsense as he searched for something. "Ah ha!" he announced, slipping out a sheet from a pile and sending the whole stack to the floor. Lola got a closer look at it; the drawing was of a small golden orb - nothing more, nothing less. It seemed rather unimpressive to Lola, but Tris knew what he was talking about.

"This is lyrax, it's a natural substance harvested from different places in our world, usually the likes of Pokemon fossil sites. In short, it's a power source. Weapons, vehicles, tools; they all use it. Of course, this is only the really high tech stuff, like military Skyships. The reason it's so rare? Gas, oil, steam; they don't come close to this. But it's pretty much all been harvested. It's a finite source of energy, but it is probably the most powerful thing in our world."

"Father uses it in the weapons he makes," Tris stated, snatching the drawing from the boy. Lola could remember Beatrice mentioning something about a military weapon company.

"And that's not all. If you use a lot of it, it apparently gives the user the power of Legendary Pokemon, be it humans or other Pokemon. I heard someone say there's a whole_ heap_ in your fathers lab."

Tris gave a challenging look to the boy and grinned. "I think I know what you want me to do."

"Excellent," the boy said happily, making his way back to the stool. "Svell, go along with them," he said politely to the spooky Pokemon. It hopped from the shelf and walked to the girls, cracking it's claws as it did so. "He's pretty handy when it comes to stealing stuff."

Risu and Eevee didn't look to happy to be travelling with a Pokemon like Svell, but didn't argue and followed Svell out of the room.

"You ready for this?" Tris asked, mashing her hand into a fist. Lola nodded and they rushed from the house as the boy got to work on the Skyrider, letting out a big sigh as he began slotting bits into place. "That's Damien Murrow," Tris stated as she could see Lola was still quite puzzled, "He's a little cooky, but he's pretty handy."

Lola could not deny that.

* * *

"_Sneasel, the Sharp Claw Pokemon. Sneasel can extend or retract its claws instantly during attack." _Lola wasn't surprised as she looked up Svell in her guide; he was rather creepy after all and he certainly could make some powerful attacks with those claws. On the way to the lab he had already cut the wheels of a Girafarig-driven-cart in half, though Lola was pretty sure it was deliberate, and he 'accidentally' ripped a pretty lady's dress off, showing her bloomers to half of Bellshire Market Square.

Eevee didn't seem to get along well with him either and she had already tossed a few Shadow Balls his way when he wasn't looking. Risu, being her usual self, completely avoided the Pokemon and stayed in the comforts of Lola's head, though she was sometimes taking a break to tickle Tris with her tail as she crawled over her back.

"How far away is your father's factory?" Lola asked, taking a sharp corner at the next street. She had been enjoying the country view until it had been stained by an atrociously grand building. It was nothing like the factories in Ironstead - this could have passed for a small palace. "This is it?" she asked, to which Tris replied with a small nod. She didn't seem too happy about being here. The front of the building had a very distinct logo that Lola took a closer look at as they reached the sparkling brass doors. It was a tall top hat with a golden 'C' that had ridges like that of a cog. Without a doubt, this stood for Carson. Lola knew Tris' father was an important man. "Your father works here?"

"Owns it," Tris answered, far from proud.

The entrance hall was even better. Emerald green velvet lined the wall with a marble pillar, matching the floors, showing up every so often. The walls were covered in the same logo as outside and a golden desk was at the front. A variety of doors, stained-glass windows and stairs led off from this chamber, but Lola couldn't move. It wasn't because of the elegance of the building - a woman Lola certainly didn't want to see again was leaning on the desk. Quickly, she snapped out of her trance and leaped behind the nearest pillar, trying her best to line up with it.

"What's up?" Tris asked as she joined her behind it, along with the three Pokemon.

"That woman at the desk!" Lola peeked around the side of the pillar. Her hair was unmistakable. She was talking to a man with a top hat and funny monocle, shouting requests such as 'I demand to see Lord Carson' and making nothing but noise.

Tris rolled her eyes and swaggered over to the desk, taking Risu and Eevee along with her. Lola couldn't see what was going on, though the woman was using the same sort of patronizing voice as she used to talk to Lola. Tris came back, skipping with glee not long after as the two Pokemon were left behind, looking notoriously cheeky.

"That's Taffy," she whispered, "She works for another company, but she always comes here and talks to me like I'm five! So I left her to look after Eevee and Risu. Now come on!"

As the Pokemon began to cause mayhem, no doubt a distraction Tris had planned, Lola and Svell followed her through one of the doors. Lola did not expect to enter a room with nothing but concrete stairs descending into darkness. Lamps were hung with care along the staircase and gave the trio a dim path to follow. They entered into a balcony above a laboratory soon after. Steel gears the size of houses twisted and turned in the glum room, the orange blossoming light was no doubt the roaring fire and men in smart waistcoats and glasses hanging from their noses (along with the rougher looking workers) were busy performing a variety of tasks. Svell stood on the edge of the balcony and twisted down one of the pillars. It was surprisingly sneaky as it twisted through the staff, not once being seen as it used the shadows as an accomplice. It tapped on a door at the other side of the room and winked at the two girls. Pointing its claws to the most prominent gear, it summoned a sphere of pale blue and shot slivers of hard ice to it, causing nothing but havoc for everyone below.

"Let's go," Lola muttered and the girls raced down the side stairs by the balcony and bolted across the floor before the ice had been melted by a grumpy Heatmor. They disappeared with the click of a lock.

If the girls had thought it was going to be that easy, they had clearly thought wrong. They were now in a long corridor of a similar design to the entrance hall. Svell was at the end, peeking through a gap in the door. Lola looked first, with Tris clambering on her head to get a look also. A large, steel container held hundreds and hundreds of the small lyrax orbs. Svell grabbed one and rushed back as quick as he could, knocking the doors open slightly more so the girls could get a better look. They were just about to have a peek when...

"That's enough!"

Lola spun her head around so quickly that the straps of her cap slapped her cheeks, making them turning pinker than they already were. The woman, apparently named Taffy, stood in a battle stance unleashing her Skarmory upon the girls. "I could recognize that dumb Pachirisu from anywhere."

"Run!" Tris told Lola and gave her a look that assured Lola that she was going to be fine. Lola followed Svell from the room and out of site. Tris twirled a ball in her hand as she looked menacingly towards Taffy.

Taffy gave a matching grin. "You wanna play, little girl? Ooh, I can tell your daddy you've been very naughty today! You might get off with it, but you won't be seeing your little friend for a while," she taunted.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Tris spat, throwing the Pokeball in the air. Togepi appeared and, going by first opinions, looked like it wouldn't have a chance against the vicious predator Taffy trained.

The hall may have been thin, but it was certainly tall enough for Skarmory's attacks. "Use Peck!"

The wicked, metallic bird shot for the innocent Pokemon with its beak enlarging to twice the usual size, looking rather like a sword. Tris was sure she could see it licking its lips as it got closer and closer and- "Quick, Togepi, Safeguard!" The Pokemon burst into a sphere of green light and as its opponent attacked, it slammed off of the barrier, smashing its beak and breaking the shield in the progress. "Now use AncientPower!"

This time, Togepi shot a white globe to the bird as it struggled to straighten its beak. It exploded on impact, knocking it against the wall and leaving a dent rather like a large roast dinner. "Double-Edge, come on Togepi!"

"Not so fast, use Air Slash," and the Pokemon used their offensive moves. Togepi looked useless as it charged against the saw-like discs Skarmory tossed and was subsequently shoved against the floor by Tris. "Weak."

Tris gritted her teeth, "You can do it Togepi! Don't give up!" she smiled to her Pokemon and received a small but sweet one in return, knowing her good friend would never give up. As Skarmory was preparing to finish her off with Air Slash, the Pokemon formed a green orb around itself once more, deflecting the discs back towards the evil bird. Skarmory was forced back to its trainer, preparing for the next attack. "AncientPower, one more time," Tris nodded to her partner and she shot another globe of light, but this time it went completely above their duo of cruel opponents.

"Tell that stupid Pokemon we're over here!" Taffy said with a cackle, not noticing the logo of Lord Carson tumbling down on her and her Pokemon. Tris snatched her Pokemon up with a smile, beaming with pride and dishing out compliments like never before, skipping off with joy as the duo were left growling.

"I'm going to kill that brat and her stupid shell!"

* * *

Svell and Lola reached the entrance hall once again by Svell distracting the staff in the lab. This time, the hall was much busier. Some of the thieves from the other night, along with some staff members, were now in the hall. One of them held onto Eevee, the other swung Risu by her tail.

The man with the monocle, looking the most reasonable, walked over to Lola, hands in the air like a fake surrender. "Let's all calm down," he said and Lola could see a pink tail flickering behind his shoulder. Svell stood in front of her as he continued, "We don't want any trouble, I'm sure this was all just a misunderstanding." He smiled, placing his hands back down to his sides and gave a small snort. Just as Lola expected, he threw a hand forward and planned an attack, "Skitty, use Growl!"

The pink Pokemon pounced forward in front of Svell, giving a feeble growl at him. Lola nodded to Svell as the Pokemon raced to the center of the room. Once again he formed a blue sphere and short the shards to the Skitty, its trainer, the thieves and some of the other Pokemon with them, avoiding Eevee and Risu.

Lola knew she had to deal with the two men holding the Pokemon hostage and yelled, "Discharge, come on Risu!"

The Pokemon shot the electric blue bolts to the two men and released herself and Eevee. With Tris coming up behind with Togepi, the two girls and the four Pokemon ran from the building, turning around as they were shot at with a golden light, scorching a nearby building. The group twisted on their ankles and watched as one of the bulkier thieves stood on the marble steps leading to the factory.

The man had a copper contraption covering his left arm, small wheels twisting and bits of steam whistling from the sides. He made his arm into a fist and aimed once more to the group.

"Duck!" Lola screamed, sending them all to their feet and running the instant the weapon had been fired.

They seen the damage it done to the street behind them and kept running, hearing the bulky footsteps hammering along the street. The man was easy enough to lose but the image of what they seen in the factory corrupted their minds. Tris pulled open the door to Damien's house and ushered everyone inside, shutting it behind herself and applying any visible bolts.

* * *

With all of their remaining breath, the girls panted and puffed the story: the container of lyrax, Taffy, and the man with the funny arm.

"How peculiar," Damien stated, rubbing his chin as he thanked Svell for helping the girls. He managed to wrestle the orb from Svell's paws and examined it closely. He held it to the light, next to diagrams of it, he even tried cutting in to it.

"Why is it peculiar?" Lola asked, sitting on the floor and stroking Risu in her lap. Tris joined her, returning Togepi to her Pokeball but keeping Eevee by her side.

"Well, there's a rumor... who controls the natural world?"

"Legendary Pokemon," Lola whispered loud enough for everyone to hear, eyes widening as she begins to understand it more.

"Exactly. And who's been stealing these lately?" He raised his eyebrows - everyone had heard the rumors about the military stealing Pokemon, but never did Lola think it was true. "Anyway, I've said enough, these are all just a bunch of rumors - nothing factual in the slightest."

Tris gave a bitter scoff, though her eyes were fixed to a spot on the floor. She never realized the harsh reality of her father's company. The copper-armed man kept reappearing in her head.

Damien nodded, refusing to use the lyrax on his invention, deciding to do some tests instead. He was feeling guilty for sending the girls on the trip. He handed them some blankets, letting them fall asleep in an armchair in another room, and continued with the Skyrider.

* * *

"Hey," he hissed, patting Lola on the shoulder, "Come see your new Skyrider."

According to Damien, they had slept through the night, seeing as they arrived home in the late evening. He explained to them how he collected samples of the scorched streets and buildings, hoping to find out more about the strange substance. Lola stepped into the streets, giving her messy hair a tug as she was just waking up. The sight was magnificent. The dirty brown body was now glimmering in the sun and the exhaust pipe gave a less harmful fog as it started up. It could easily have been a new model and he was telling the girls about how he enhanced the engine, steering, and added some bits at the side for equipment. Risu was over the moon at the Pokemon sized handles on the back of it.

"It's amazing," Lola said, running her hand over it. Even Tris, who had plenty of new models, was impressed. "Thank you."

"I owe you it," he told her, rubbing the back of his neck, "I feel bad for making you do all those things yesterday."

Lola smiled, about to thank him once more but Tris jumped on the back of the Skyrider and sat Eevee in her lap. "Let's get a move on!" Lola sat in front with Risu, sliding her goggles over her eyes and lining up her cap. She gave a wave to Damien as it began to hover.

"Come see us at the Bellshire Contest in a couple of days!"

"Can't wait!" he called back, wiping his oily hands with a dirty cloth as he was joined by Vindir and Svell, disappearing into the distance as Lola steered off to the Bellshire wilderness, leaving the town behind. Seems like there is chaos wherever there is people.

She could hear the giggles and guffaws of her three passengers, making the experience more enjoyable for herself. She was sure Beatrice had never had this much freedom in her life and was refreshing to hear her so full of joy. Lola was curious what may happen when she goes home - her father sounded like a powerful man - but Tris reassured her friend that she wouldn't be returning for a while. The plan that they would be there and back was scrapped a long time ago.

The fauna of Bellshire was much more interesting than the average wild Pidgey in the Ironstead skyline. So far, Tris had pointed out Hoothoots and Noctowls, Natus and Xatus, even a Braviary that almost mistook them for a predator. Lola took any chance she had to fly into the fluffy clouds. It send a cool, yet refreshing shiver from her head to her toes, much unlike the sickly smog she was used to that almost made her vomit.

It passed much quicker than the girls had hoped as they began to land on the outskirts of the forest. Switching the engine off, Lola's ears were invaded by a serenading sound. It was the sound of freedom, of beauty, of sheer brilliance.

"What are you waiting for?" Tris asked, already rushing into the forest with Eevee. Lola slid off her goggles, fixed her sweater and stomped her boots as she raced after Tris with Risu along side. It was hauntingly stunning as they made their way through, completely untouched by man. "Have you ever seen somewhere so perfect?"

Lola shook her head, unable to speak. Every time she turned her head she was met by a new Pokemon, a fair flower or a cool cry of an unfamiliar creature. The girls stopped at the first opening. It was a small creek. Water cascaded down from rocks above them and a variety of species had been sipping from the water. Lola and Tris stripped off their boots and relaxed in pure bliss as the water worked wonders on their aching toes.

"What kind of Pokemon do you want?" Tris asked, watching Risu and Eevee splash each other.

She shook her head. "I don't have a clue, but I'll know when I see it..." she beamed.

The peaceful session was interrupted as a small Pokemon rushed through the greenery at the other side of the creek. Lola and Tris sprung to their feet and were already in their battle stances with their Pokemon in front. Lola flicked through her book, examining the cute Pokemon across from her. "_Chikorita, the Leaf Pokémon. Chikorita uses the leaf on its head to scan for warmth and humidity in its surroundings, and loves to sunbathe._" This Chikorita was far from the joyful one in the guide. Its face was a blend of fear and shock as it was stuck on what to do now it reached the open plain. and its pale green skin was paler than it should have been. Its leaf spun wildly on its head.

"You think it's in trouble?" questioned Lola, growing more worried. She watched as Tris gave an undeniable nod. A horrible clicking sound that was once distant burst into a full on orchestra of noise as a few vicious Skorupis entered the area. "Ready..." Lola prepared as she and Tris thought up their strongest moves, "Risu, Swift!" The Squirrel Pokemon unleashed a storm of stars on the Skorupi, knocking some of them out.

"Shadow Ball, full power!" Tris demanded as she pointed to the Pokemon. Chikorita rushed over to its saviors and hid behind Lola as Eevee tossed luminous balls of purple and black, defeating the enemies on impact. The Pokemon panted as they finished up their powerful moves, but the sound was still overbearing. "There's more?"

"Just run," Lola said, leading the group behind her.

The snips and nips of the Skorupi army were evident as they rushed through the thick forest, entering once again into a separate plain. The squeal of Risu was the last thing she wanted to hear. She ordered Tris to go along with Chikorita and Eevee as she picked up her Pokemon, but the Skorupi were closing in as she picked up an injured Risu. A gust of bright leaves slicing into the creatures were the signs that they had been saved. She turned to see Chikorita attacking the Skorupi nearby and giving them enough time to escape immediate danger.

They made it to the safety of the forest once more, but the sound had been drowned out by a storm - a blizzard, no less. The dancing crystals of white and blue bombarded the army of Pokemon and sent them on their way. The snow melted and the girls hoped to see their own savior, but the field was empty.

* * *

The crackling fire reminded Lola of the attack earlier today. Tris was preparing some fish she had caught earlier with Eevee and Lola was watching Chikorita who refused to join in. She made her way over, leaving Risu in Tris' hands.

"Hey, how's it going?" she asked, leaning in to the Pokemon who was quick to retire backwards. "Don't be afraid. I just wanted to say thanks for helping me today." The Pokemon chirped, narrowing its red eyes and trying to cover its face with the leaf on its head. "Your a girl, right?" she inquired, to which the Pokemon nodded. "I just wondered if you want to come along with my friend and I on our Pokemon journey. You see, I want to become a Top Coordinator, but you need Pokemon and I... what are you doing?"

The Chikorita tapped its nose against the brass balls hanging from her belt. Lola slid it off, tapped the gear-shaped button and tossed it on the Pokemon. It was flooded in a beam of red light and vanished to the comforts of the ball. Lola quickly let it out again and gave a joyous laugh.

"I did it! I caught a Pokemon!"

Tris ran over, over the moon at her friends achievement. "That's great!"

"I'm going to name you, Chika, is that alright?" Lola asked and the Pokemon nodded. She formed a fist and launched it in the air. "Just wait until Erin sees me in a contest!"

* * *

**Another long chapter! The name came from the three girls with a reference to candy: Lola's nickname 'Lollipop', Tris' hair and Taffy. I was originally going to have half of Erin's story in here, but went with your advice and followed a character per chapter for the next couple, though I will return to having a few stories in one (though not as extreme as the previous chapter!) Let me know if you like it and, as always, give me some constructive criticism - it really helps me improve! **

**Still accepting OCs but mainly rivals, antagonists and Lola's companions. If you want to send in a companion for Erin still, please make them a coordinator as so far, almost everyone solely competes in battles. If you wish to send in a trainer companion that isn't a coordinator, please be aware that it will be unlikely I'll accept you unless your OC is extremely good.**

**Note to OC owners: if you wish for your character to have a significant relationship (romance, friendship, rivalry, etc.) with another OC, please inform me by PM. Also, I added OCs that have appeared in the story to my profile with a small, brief overview. If you wish to make any changes to this, let me know.**

* * *

**Lyrax:** Just as Damien said, it is a powerful energy source. It can be found in various places such as fossil sites and breeding sites but most common in areas with high Legendary Pokemon activity. It is a golden orb, around the size of a golf ball and emits a light glow. There is a seemingly undiscovered other way to make lyrax.

**Carson: **A weapon company owned by Lord Carson, father of Beatrice. It has a lot of affiliations with the military and apparently some thieves.


End file.
